Cedar Point Memories Part 10 – This Last Weekend Part 2

Yesterday I left you at entering the park. Once again it has been six years since I have been to Cedar Point, and there was something I was mentally prepared for – the loss of the Demon Drop. I wasn’t ready for the loss of it. The effect of the Demon Drop being gone from the entrance “skyline” is dramatic. Stranger still is the loss of hearing it running as you enter the park. It just felt a little surreal to me.

Just walking around the park, things didn’t seem to “pop” the same way. Part of this could indeed be age, but Cedar Point seems to have lost a bit of its sparkle. You can see the age written across it. I almost wonder if my son will be able to enjoy Cedar Point thirty years from now.

The park was also unusually empty for a Memorial Day weekend. The big rides would historically have 2-3 hour waits on them. On Sunday and Monday it was about 1 hour waits or less. Very odd for someone who grew up in those long lines. The park has as many people as I would expect on a normal summer afternoon, but not as many as should be there on a holiday weekend.

On Sunday we weren’t going to ride the rides, we were just going to walk around. In hindsight I should have taken the DSLR, but I also wanted the option to be able to get on rides. The first ride I went on were the swings in Frontier Land. I always loved the swings, though when I went on them it was only a quarter full. I sat on the outside and managed to kick the leaves above the operator’s station. Xie watched on eating some frozen custard we picked up.

We moved on to check a show at the theater opposite White Wate….The Maverick. The show was good, lacking the polish it will have later in the season, but we enjoyed it. The beer was very expensive. We only had a glass each. After that we rode the front seat of the Mine Ride. Now Xie and I are in disagreement. She says that it feels the same as it always has. I say it has gotten much rougher than it ever was. I try it a few more times this season and see if I can tell if it feels “right”.

I believe the only other thing we rode that day was Disaster Transport. This ride we both agree has gone completely downhill. When it was still Avalanche Run it was one of my favorite rides in the park. Now it felt almost as rough as the Mean Streak did when it was new. They also changed where you enter the ride. You do not go through all three themed rooms anymore, just the last one.

After Disaster Transport we decided that it was enough for the day so we went out to eat and visited with a friend. Knowing that we were taking Lex back the next day. I would like to mention that there were two other ride closures I noticed. The first I was ready for, Paddlewheel Excursions. I’ll pine for this in a later post (it was my favorite ride in the park). The second is the Wildcat. I can say I’m actually surprised Cedar Point removed a coaster. It will be missed.

Memorial Day rolls around mighty early in the morning. We managed to pick up Lex around 11:30 and headed up to Vermilion to pick up Jason. We made it to the park around 2. Lex didn’t want to get his picture taken at first but finally relented and we were on our way into the park.

While we were waiting for Jason (who went through the season pass line after us) we decided to go into the park. The first thing in front of us was the carousel. So we decided this would be his first ride. He was anxious getting on, but we thought he would calm down once the ride started. We sat on one of the bench seats and Lex sat on Xie’s lap. It was not a good time. He freaked out and we did our best to calm him down. After that Xie promised him that we wouldn’t make him go on anymore rides without his permission first.

Jason caught up with us and we went over to Kiddy Land. Lex wanted to ride the monster trucks that follow the path like the Cadillac Cars. With this one though there is no steering and no need to hit the gas. He rode this twice. The first time I sat in the back of the truck with him (he’s too short to ride this one by himself). The second time Xie rode with him. After this we cut through the arcade and went to the Snoopy area that overtook Bernstein Bear Country.

There he rode the train and loved it. The first time I rode with him and once later in the day Xie rode with him. The rest of the time he figured out how everything works and he rode this three to four more times by himself. This area had a clone ride to the monster trucks in Kiddy Land. I rode through this with him again. Xie also rode the Submarine ride with him.

We then went to the Pizza Hut next to the area. This used to be Xie’s favorite restaurant in the park, now it’s a chain store. We shared a supreme pizza, but Lex refused to eat. He was drinking continuously so we didn’t push the issue.

After eating Jason and I took a spin on Max Air. Despite being a “high thrill ride”, I found it a leisurely ride that just went really high. It was enjoyable, but not on my “must hit” list. I guess while this is going on Lex rode the train a few more times and rode the rockets by himself. We are going to make him a chain rider yet.

We had to drag him away, but he was excited that he got to ride the train from the Midway to Frontier Land. He says that this was his favorite ride in the park. Once we got in Frontier Land we rode the Antique Cars as a group. Lex sat in the front with Jason driving. Xie and I sat in the back. We then headed back to the candy store and picked up candy.

Lex had his first Starburst. You would think from his reaction that he was in pain and it was the worst thing in the world. He did however want more. The joys of being a kid. Honestly, for a minute there we thought something had gone really really wrong. He was fine though.

We then headed to the kid area by the Gemini. I rode the Snoopy bus with him (same as the submarine in the front). He then rode the Red Baron airplanes by himself. We finished the day attempting to ride the Junior Gemini.

I did manage to get him aboard the Junior Gemini and at first he was excited because he thought it was like a train. I had an issue putting on the seat belt at first. I wouldn’t say that I’m skinny, but I’m not huge. Regardless it was a battle to get the belt on. I swear the parent I saw get off before we rode was larger.

Generally the Junior Gemini makes two trips before finishing the ride. After the first turn Lex freaked. When we made it back to the station the operator asked if they wanted to do it again. All the kids yelled yes, except Lex. Lex gave a resounding “NO!”. So the operator let us off. Lex told me the ride went too fast. It’s a good thing he wasn’t tall enough for Top Thrill Dragster to be his first coaster.

After that we called it a day. We were all exhausted from the heat and chasing a three-year old around the park. Lex however had a great time.